Piston ring



231934, i I E, J. GOODYEAR 1,977,990

PISTON RING Filed June 22, 1935 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE .PISTON RING Edward J. Goodyear, Wilkinsburg, Pa. Application June 22,- 1933, Serial No. 677,085 9 2 Claims. (cl. 309-45) My invention relates to a piston oil ring for an internal combustion engine, and important objects thereof are to provide a durable oil ringof the character described, which will function effec- 5 tively as an oil seal and to remove excess lubricant from the cylinder wall, which instantly adjusts itself to prevent oil pumping without excessive pressure, which is quickly worn in and assures uniform wear thereof, which embodies novel means for permitting the return of, oil back to the engine crank case, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, positive in its action, and comparatively economical in its manufacture and use.

To the accomplishment of these and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood, that changes in theform, proportions andminor details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a. fragmentary-view, partly in section, of the engine cylinder, piston, and oil ring embodying my invention. 1

' Figure 2 is a top plan view of the inner ring section, and Figure 3 is an edge elevational view 1 thereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the outer ring section. Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional vie of my improved ring, and Figure 6 is a similar view of the outer ring section only.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the piston l, which is mounted in the engine cylinder 2, is equipped with the usual pair of compression rings 3. The piston 1 is provided with an annular groove 4 connected by oil drain holes 5 wit the interior of the piston.

Seated in the groove 4 is a composite oil ring 6 embodying the present invention. The oil ring 6 comprises an inner ring section '7 and an outer ring section 8, which are split and combinedly associated, and constructed from any suitable resilient metal.

The inner ring section '7 is an integral strucplurality of elongated slots 12'between the top and bottom portions 9 and 10. The bottom portion 10 is very much wider than the top portion 9 as it includes an outwardly projecting annular flange 13. The horizontal arms 14, of the bridges 11, are disposed on'the top of the flange 13 and provide spacing elements for the purpose to be described.

The inner wall15, of the top portion 9, is beveled and extends at an angle diminishing the width 6 of the latter from the bottom to the top thereof.

The outer ring section 8 is substantially, triangularly shaped in transverse cross section, and

, surrounds the top portion 9 of the inner ring section '7 above the flange 13. The inner wall 16, of the outer ring section 8, is beveled and extends at an angle increasing the width of the latter from the bottom 17- to the top thereof. The beveled walls 15 and 16, of respective ring sections 7 and 8, contact with each other and are disposed at simi- 76 lar or corresponding angles.

The outer wall 18 and the bottom 17, of the outer ring section 8, are disposed at barely perceptible angles, the former inclining inwardly toward its top edge and the latter inclining up- 80 wardly toward its inner edge. Such angular dispositions of the outer wall 18 and the bottom 17 are clearly illustrated in the enlarged view in Figure 6.

The bottom 17 of the outer ring section 8 is spaced from and cannot contact with the top of the flange 13 of the inner ring section 7, owing to the horizontal bridge arms 14 carried on said flange. This spaced relation of the ring section bottom 1'7 to the flange 13 provides a maintained clearance 19 therebetween for'the return passage of oil through the ring structure.

It is evident, that the slight angular disposition of the ring section outer wall 18 and of the associated bottom 17 provide an acute juncture edge 20 therebetween. The provision of such sharp juncture edge 20 will cause the outer ring section 8 to wear itself in very rapidly. Further, during the downward travel of the piston in the cylinder, the acute juncture edge 20 will scrape all excess oil from the surface of the cylinder. The oil thus accumulated will pass through the clearance 19 and slots 12 and through the drain holes 5 into the interior of the piston.

In unitary slotted and bridged oil rings of the type now in common use, the outer wall thereof is necessarily reduced to comparatively thin structures due to the intervening slots. It is obvious, that the peripheries of such thinwall structures will wear away more rapidly than at 18 of the outer ring section 8, as the thickness of the latter is very much greater than the thickness of the flange 13, the outer periphery of which is the only part of the inner ring section 7 that contacts with the cylinder wall. Thus, it will be apparent, that while my composite oil ring embodies all of the advantages of the usual slotted and bridged ring of the unitary type, the deleterious and objectionable features of the latter are entirely eliminated therefrom.

During the operation of a piston provided with my improved ring, the two ring sections 7 and 8 will instantly adjust themselves to perfectly seal the entire ring groove 4 and prevent any leakage therethrough. This is eflected by the wedging action imparted by the beveled contacting engagement of the ring sections 7 and 8 due to the prevailing high compression in internal combustion engine operation. The contacting engagement or the beveled walls 15 and 16, of respectiver'ing sections '1 and 8, affords a take-up controlled action giving a high even compression without ring drag, and further compensates for wear without adversely aflecting its sealing properties.

The present invention provides a most efllcient device of its kind for establishing a positive, nonleak, oil ring, which will prolong the life of an engine equipped therewith and cause the latter to function at maximum efliciency.

What I claim is': V p

1. An oil ring for the piston of an internal combustion engine comprising an inner ring section provided with a plurality of elongated slots, the lower portion of said inner ring section including'an annular flange projecting outwardly beyond the upper portion thereof, substantially L-shaped bridges joining said upper and lower portions together, the outer wall of said upper portion being beveled, and'an outer ring section having a beveled inner wall engaging the beveled outer wall of said upper portion, the horizontal arms of said bridges being disposed on said flange for maintaining a clearance between the latter and the bottom of said outer ring section.

2. In combination, an oil ring for the piston of an internal combustion engine comprising an inner ring section provided with a plurality of elongated slots, the lower portion of said inner ring section including an annular flange projecting outwardly beyond the upper portion thereof, substantially L-shaped bridges joining said upper and lower portions together, the outer wall of said upper portion being beveled, and an outer ring section having a beveled inner wall engaging the beveled outer wall of said upper portion, the horizontal arms of said bridges being disposed on said flange for maintaining a clearance between the top of the latter and the bottom of said outer ring section, said outer ring section having the outer wall and the bottom thereof disposed at an angle to provide an acute edge juncture therebetween.

EDWARD J. GOODYEAR.

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